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Health and Wealth of Elderly Couples: Causality Tests Using Dynamic Panel Data Models

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Author Info
Michaud, Pierre-Carl () (CentER, Tilburg University and IZA Bonn)
van Soest, Arthur (RAND Corporation, Tilburg University and IZA Bonn)

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Abstract

A positive relationship between socio-economic status (SES) and health, the so-called "health-wealth gradient", is repeatedly found in most industrialized countries with similar levels of health care technology and economic welfare. This study analyzes causality from health to wealth (health causation) and from wealth to health (wealth or social causation) for elderly couples in the US. Using six biennial waves of couples aged 51-61 in 1992 from the Health and Retirement Study, we compare the recently developed strategy using Granger causality tests of Adams et al. (2003, Journal of Econometrics) with tests for causality in dynamic panel data models incorporating unobserved heterogeneity. While Adams et al. tests reject the hypothesis of no causality from wealth to husband's or wife's health, the tests in the dynamic panel data model do not provide evidence of wealth-health causality. On the other hand, both methodologies lead to strong evidence of causal effects from both spouses' health on household wealth.

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Publisher Info
Paper provided by Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) in its series IZA Discussion Papers with number 1312.

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Length: 50 pages
Date of creation: Sep 2004
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Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp1312

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Related research
Keywords: health; inequality; aging; dynamic panel data models; causality;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
C33 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Models with Panel Data
D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Production
J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped

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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
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Full references

Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Heiss, Florian & Börsch-Supan, Axel & Hurd, Michael & Wise, David, 2006. "Pathways to Disability: Predicting Health Trajectories," Sonderforschungsbereich 504 Publications 07-30, Sonderforschungsbereich 504, Universität Mannheim & Sonderforschungsbereich 504, University of Mannheim. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. Gisela Hostenkamp & Michael Stolpe, 2006. "The Health Gradient and Early Retirement: Evidence from the German Socio-economic Panel," Kiel Working Papers 1305, Kiel Institute for the World Economy. [Downloadable!]
  3. William Nilsson, 2008. "Spousal Income and Sick Leave: What do Twins Tell us About Causality?," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 29(3), pages 407-426, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  4. Michaud, Pierre-Carl & Goldman, Dana P. & Lakdawalla, Darius N. & Zheng, Yuhui & Gailey, Adam H., 2009. "Understanding the Economic Consequences of Shifting Trends in Population Health," IZA Discussion Papers 4366, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  5. P.-C. Michaud & D. Goldman & D. Lakdawalla & Y. Zheng & A. Gailey, 2009. "Understanding the Economic Consequences of Shifting Trends in Population Health," Social and Economic Dimensions of an Aging Population Research Papers 255, McMaster University. [Downloadable!]
  6. Paul Frijters & Aydogan Ulker, 2008. "Robustness in Health Research: Do differences in health measures, techniques, and time frame matter?," NCER Working Paper Series 28, National Centre for Econometric Research. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  7. Cobb-Clark, Deborah A. & Hildebrand, Vincent A., 2009. "Portfolio Allocation in the Face of a Means-Tested Public Pension," IZA Discussion Papers 4481, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  8. Nilsson, William, 2006. "Socioeconomic Status and Sickness Absence - What do twins tell us about causality?," UmeÃ¥ Economic Studies 670, Umeå University, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  9. Florence Jusot, 2006. "The shape of the relationship between mortality and income in France," Annales d'Economie et de Statistique, ADRES, issue 83-84, pages 04, Juillet-D. [Downloadable!]
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